Chris DeLisa Elected IHFRA President

March 19, 2013  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on March 20, 2013

Chris DeLisa has been elected president of the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association.

DeLisa, IHFRA's 75th president, has been active in the association for many years and has had a varied career in the furniture industry. Heis a retail veteran whose understanding of his customers€™ challenges comes from hands-on experience. In 1992, Chris started his furniture career in his family€™s retail store, MSO Furniture, one of the largest independent New Jersey retailers.

He left the multi-million dollar family business in 2005 at age 31 to become a manufacturer€™s representative with Standard Furniture and Albany Upholstery. From 2007 through 2010, he served as vice president of sales for Home Line Furniture DeLisa made the jump to logistics late in 2010 when he joined Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery as vice president of sales. Currently, he is heading up the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut territory for Universal Furniture.

DeLisa served as president of The Greater New York Home Furnishings Association in 2009 and 2010. In 2010 he also served on the board for the Metropolitan Furnishings Association of New Jersey. Past awards include: 2009 E. Louis Billington Sr. Memorial Salesman of the Year Award for industry service; 2010 Meadoff Memorial Award for Sportsmanship in the Industry; and the Charles B. Costar Dean of IHFRA Award in 2010. He also serves in the capacity of High Point Furniture Market Rep Ambassador.

Delisa and his wife, Fiorella, have 3 children. Until this year he served as the Commissioner of Baseball for the Police Athletic League. He has also been involved in community baseball and basketball leagues.

IHFRA chose its 2013-2014 slate of officers during its annual Board of Directors meeting in High Point on March 9. Joining DeLisa on the IHFRA Executive Committee are: first vice president Matthew Keepers, At-Large Member; secondnd vice president, Frank Lorenzo, Florida Home Furnishings Representatives Association; secretary/treasurer, Geoff Weed, Midwest Furniture Club; and chairman of the board, Mike Root, At-Large Member.

The IHFRA Executive Committee will be sworn in at the IHFRA Presidential Gala on Friday, April 19 at the International Home Furnishings Center Ballroom on the 11th Floor of the Design Center. For more information, contact IHFRA at 336.889.3920, or by e-mail. Reservations can be made online here.